The field of remote image capture is growing rapidly. Remote image capture has been found to be useful in security applications, as well as for monitoring environmental, commercial, and industrial processes. In a typical remote imaging application, cameras are mounted in strategic positions in an area, and the cameras communicate image or video data to a central monitoring station. In one example, the remote imager is an Internet camera that communicates image data to a computer attached to the Internet. In another example, the remote imagers are miniature cameras that communicate on a private network. One such camera and camera network is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,507,946, issued Mar. 24, 2009, which is hereby incorporated by reference. It will be understood that many other different types of sensors, imagers, and cameras may be used in a remote imaging application.
In setting up a remote monitoring system, each camera is usually mounted to a stable support surface, with the camera's imager being directed toward an area of interest. To facilitate a more flexible installation, cameras are often mounted using a ball-and-joint or universal camera bracket. In using such a bracket, each camera is usually screwed or bolted to a first part of the bracket, and then the first part of the bracket is frictionally engaged to a second part of the bracket. In this way, initially attaching a camera to a bracket often requires the use of tools, and can be a time consuming and cumbersome process. For example, the camera is easily dropped and damaged during the installation process. In a similar manner, removing a camera from its mounting bracket suffers from the same deficiencies. After installation, these brackets allow the camera to be tilted and panned to a particular position, and then a mechanical locking mechanism secures the camera into that position. If the camera positioning needs to be adjusted, the locking mechanism is loosened, the camera is repositioned, and then the locking mechanism is tightened. In this way, repositioning cameras can also be a time consuming and cumbersome process. In addition, the locking mechanism or the ball-and-joint structure may interfere with positioning, thereby limiting how the camera can be positioned.
Magnetic directional mounts have been disclosed, for example in US Publication No. 2005/0247345 by Li et al, generally configured similarly to the ball and joint bracket, but magnetically held. This configuration lacks ease and smoothness of adjustability of the mounted electronic device, and provides a relatively small area of magnetic field.
US Patent publication No US-2009-0196597-A1, published Aug. 6, 2009 discloses a magnetic directional mount for mounting, positioning, and orienting an electronic device. US patent publication No US-2009-0196597-A1 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. It discloses a housing for the electronic device that has a generally concave housing mounting surface, with a magnet positioned inside the housing and adjacent to the housing mounting surface. A base part has a base mounting surface that is constructed to be attracted to the magnet. The base part is mounted to a stable support. In the example cited and illustrated in the figures, the base mounting surface is dome-shaped, and in particular a hemispherical dome.